This invention relates to a device for use in marking the path of flight of an aircraft, particularly a device for discharging from an aircraft while in flight streamer-like markers of the class described in Tillay, U.S. Pat. No. 3,428,019. Such markers flutter to the ground and are highly visible from the air, thus indicating the aircraft's path of flight.
It is a common practice in agricultural operations to use aircraft to spread chemicals on a plot of land or the vegetation thereon. In order to be efficient, but yet thorough, in the application of these chemicals, the pilot needs to know his previous path of flight so he may parallel it as closely as possible on his next pass. Most chemicals thus deposited are colorless and do not per se provide a visible indication of their presence or absence.
Previously, pilots have relied on spotters, a person at each end of the field supporting a visible target, indicating the aircraft's last (or next) pass. Because of the toxic nature of most of the chemicals thus used, the spotters had extremely hazardous duty.
Marker launchers of the general class of the present invention have been used, automating the job of the spotters. This invention is an improvement over one such device, namely that described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,470,846 to Tillay, et al. That prior art device relied on air pressure, generated by the forward motion of the aircraft, to advance the markers toward the discharge or ejection end of the launcher.
Because of the manner of flight of such aircraft, sufficient air pressure is not always generated to bias the markers toward the ejection mechanism. This may lead to the markers becoming scrambled in the launcher and block its further operation.
Although the above malfunction may occur only a small percentage of the time, its occurrence does cause a considerable problem. If the launcher is jammed the pilot must either elect to spread his load inefficiently without benefit of the markers, or land with a full load of chemicals. The latter is dangerous and wasteful of flight time.
It is the general object of the present invention to provide an aerial marker launcher having increased reliability.
It is another object of this invention to provide a marker launcher having an improved assembly for advancing the markers toward the discharge or ejection end of the launcher.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a marker launcher having an improved ejection mechanism.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a marker launcher which is easy to load.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a marker launcher which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent in the following specification and claims.